Ash Moths

Moths that have been given their name due to their colouring and their habit of flying around lava. They are normally a light grey colour, however the males have a bright orange spot on either sides of their wings, which is used in mating displays to attract a female. This spot glows when it is exposed to high levels of heat.

Basic Information

Growth Rate & Stages

Ash moths have similar stages to moths that most are familiar with. They begin their life hatching from eggs laid on plants that overhang lava pools. From here, the larva eats for 120-168 hours. Within this stage, the larva will moult multiple times as it grows. Larva colour depends on the colour of the plant they are eating. Once the larva is big enough, it will move to a rocky part of the edge of the lava pool, and form a pupa. The pupa is a black matte colour that does well to blend in with the rocky background. While in this stage, histolysis occurs first, breaking down the larva into cells. Then the reform process called histogenesis occurs, rearranging cells and DNA into the final form of an adult moth. This stage can take between 168-240 hours. After this, the moth is an adult and its purpose is now to eat enough nectar to allow it to fly and to find a mate.

Ecology and Habitats

Given their reliance on plants that grow near lava, and the importance of lava pools for their mating process, Ash moths are often found within the Firen Volcanic Range. However, they'll live in any area with lava pools, and so can be found to allow the lava rivers that spread across the Firen continent.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Ash moth larva get a primary diet of the leaves of the plants that live around lava pools. They often eat so much of the plant that if a group of larva are eating the same plant, there will be nothing left over. Adult ash moths primarily feed on the nectar found in various flowering plants, notably the flowering long rooted fruit trees of the Volcanic range.